Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Hydrus, the first in a series of 400-passenger catamaran ferries for the Water and Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) in San Francisco, California, is completed and has entered service. Built by Vigor in Seattle, Washington, the Hydrus is the first of a new class of vessel, with additional ferries to follow.

Hydrus is powered by a pair of MTU 12V4000M64 EPA Tier 3 main engines, each producing 1,453 kW. It is one of the earliest passenger vessels to enter service with advanced exhaust aftertreatment, a system that ensures the vessel not only complies with the latest US emissions regulations, but is one of the lowest-emission ferries currently operating in North America.

Marine engineering design for the vessel was completed by Incat Crowther, which worked with suppliers to create an efficient layout for the system that minimizes noise ingress to the cabins and has minimal effect of passenger flow and operations.
Hydrus has a top speed of 29 knots and a service speed of 27 knots under full load, according to Incat Crowther.

Vigor began construction on the first of two WETA ferries in this class in the spring of 2015. Following trials of the first vessel, two additional vessels were ordered by WETA.

“It’s an efficient design and very environmentally friendly,” Vigor Ballard General Manager Tim Kolb said.
“The four Vigor vessels will play critical roles in maintaining service reliability in WETA’s planned expansion of the ferry service on the San Francisco Bay,” WETA Executive Director Nina Rannells said.

Hydrus is expected to be joined mid-2017 by a second vessel, Cetus, with a further two vessels due in 2018

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EDITORIAL

Pacific Maritime Magazine California Contributing Editor Karen Robes Meeks spent several years covering the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, California for the Long Beach Press-Telegram and our sister publication Fishermen’s News.